Discovery
Establish our problem
Evaluate how we currently deliver value, how the market changes, what our channels are and what the competitive threats are.
Define our outcomes
Measurements of success must be outlined; know what users will do differently if the solution works and realise our customer success metrics.
Identify who we build for
Research who buys our product, who uses and configures it, to know who we’re targeting.
Understand power users
Find out why users seek out our product and what they gain from using it, then observe their behavioural change when they achieve their goal.
Hypothesise our success matrix
From all the previous points, one hypothesis can be made. Something like: <Business outcome> will be achieved if <user> attains <benefit> with <feature> (only one feature at a damn time). That can be split into a success matrix (list of things to try and nail).
Ideate / Design
Architect/ideate/conceptualise solutions
Crazy eights and whatnot.
Evaluate
Play off the concepts against the success matrix.
Identify Assumptions
Identify the riskiest assumptions; if this fails it will likely be due to assumptions. Work on risks-to-value rather than feasibility. If an assumption is very risky, consider it “wrong” and dismiss it.
Test Assumptions (sprint??)
Do the minimum amount of work to prove/disprove an assumption.
Plan
IA diagrams, roadmaps etc.
Build
Get the damn techies on it with me as the bridge?